We Have Always Lived in the Castle Journal Prompts

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson journal prompts (pagination based on Penguin 1984 edition, green window cover)

At least one paragraph per. THINK through the prompts. Quality over quantity.

1. Page 21 -  “And you can tell your sister from me…” Whom do you trust in this story? How does Merricat feel? How do the villagers feel? LIST 5 clues we have gotten that might hint to a larger history between the villagers and the Blackwood family. 

2. Page 53 – “I’m leaving.” What do you think happened? Is Uncle Julian telling the truth? Why or Why not? What questions do you have about the crime? 

3. Page 57 – GENRE 1. What kind (type, structure) of story or narrative is this? (If we had a blonde girl, running in the forest, being chased by a killer… hmm. It isn’t a Disney movie, right? Horror/slasher film). What category of story would you classify it as? Briefly explain your answer. 

4. Page 78 – “We’ll always be here together…” What is your opinion on Merricat? Be specific and give some evidence from the story to support your thoughts. 

5. Page 107 – GENRE 2. What kind of narrative is this? Clues? Evidence? 

6. Page 161 – “Yes…the way I did before.” Hold up! GENRE 3. What kind of story is this? What are your reactions to plot developments in Chapter 8. 

7. Page 191 – “I love you, Constance.” Think about how inside and outside work in this novel. What is the outside world like? What is the inner world of the house like? Does this disturb you at all? Why or why not? What are your reactions about Merricat and Constance’s reaction and coping strategies to what happened in Chapter 8? 

8. Page 214 - “We are so happy.” GENRE 4. What kind of story is this? (By the way – this book DOES have an ending. You need to understand genre in order to figure out the ending.) What do you think will become of Merricat and Constance 5,10, 15 years down the road? How does this link to what kind (genre) of story that the novel leaves off at? (THINK. It isn’t an easy question. You might not be “right” but you might surprise yourself with your intuitive literary genius.) 

9. What do you think the title of the novel means? We Have Always Lived in the Castle. It must mean something! What were your first impressions/associations of the title before even opening the book?